2011 Honorary Degree Recipient

E. Ronald Oxburgh, Baron Oxburgh, Ph.D., KBE

Doctor of Science (Sc.D.)

Distinguished scholar, revered teacher and mentor, respected public advocate, and valued friend of the University of Wyoming, Lord E. Ronald Oxburgh is acclaimed internationally by both academia and industry leaders for his contributions to the fields of energy and the geosciences. 

A graduate of Oxford (B.A. '57) and Princeton (Ph.D. '60), Oxburgh is a pioneer in the fields of geology and geophysics, widely recognized for his transformative research in the nascent field of plate tectonics and the physics of mantle convection, mountain building, and rift zones.  As an eminent academician, Oxburgh influenced countless students in a broad spectrum of fields.  He taught at both Oxford and Cambridge universities, served as president of Queen's College at Cambridge, and later as rector of Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine in London. In the late 1980's, Oxburgh took leave of absence from academia, and excelled in a  variety of roles in government, industry, and politics.  Whether serving as Chief Scientific Adviser to the U.K. Ministry of Defence or as the non-executive chairman of Shell Transport and Trading PLC, the British arm of Royal Dutch Shell; as a member of the House of Lords or the chairman of myriad renewable energy firms, Oxburgh has been, and remains, an international authority on and premiere advocate for the responsible use of fossil energy, the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, and the development of alternative energy sources. 

For all of your contributions, Lord E. Ronald Oxburgh, the University of Wyoming is honored to bestow upon you the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa.